Improvement in electro-telegraphic apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. THOMSON & E. J. HOUSTON.

ELECTRO-TELEGRAPHIC APPARATUS. No. 183,031. Patented on. 10v 1876.

NPETERS, FHOTO-LITNOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON, D C,

JAMES R OSGOOD 5: CO BOSTON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. THOMSON & E. J. HOUSTOELECTRO-TELEGRAPHIC APPARATUS.

Patented 0ct.10,1876.

Ewan/$0715.

UNITED STATES PATENT 1 OFFICE,

ELIHU THOMSON Ann EDWIN J. HOUSTON, or PHILADELPHIA, PA.

IMPROVEMENT lN ELEC'l'RO-TELEGRA PHlC APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. l83,03 l, datedOctober 10, 1876; application filed November 8, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ELIHU THOMSON and EDWINJ. HOUSTON, both of the cityand county ofPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an ImprovedMethod of Imparting Motion to Electro-Telegraphic Apparatus, whereby'theuse of relays and local batteries may be completely dispensed with, andat the 7 same time a lessening of expense be secured, both 1n the firstcost of instruments and in 7 their maintenance in operation.

' movement of the parts of telegraphic instruments, the movements ofwhich are ordinarily obtained from the electrical currents generated bythe use of secondary or local batteries, we employ a diaphragm orpiston, A, Figure 1, so placed with respect to the plate B, of anyconvenient outline, as to leave a space, 0, for the entrance ofcompressed air or gas, the pressure of which is employed in the movementof the diaphragm or piston A to give motion to the striking mechanism,bell,

sounder, &c., either directly or through the intervention of the plate Dandthe rod E, as shown.

In Fig. 1, S is the lever of a telegraphic sounder, as modified by ourinvention, the

- stroke in one direction being produced by the motion of the diaphragm,communicated by the rod E. The return stroke is secured by the operationof a spring, as shown at T. The ingress and egress of compressed fluidsto the aforesaid space 0, between the diaphragm A and the plate B, iscontrolled by a suitable valve mechanism, V V, consisting essentially ofthe plug or valve V, regulating the flow of the compressed air, gas, orother fluid from the conduit P, attached to a suitable reservoircontaining such compressed fluid, to the cham- --ber 0, through thepassage 19. The valve or 'ing a workable size of valve.

plug V regulates the escape of air from the chamber 0. The valves V andV are connected each to each by a valve-stem passing through an opening,0, by means of which a guidance for the proper seating of the valves issecured. The valvestem is preferably furnished with a straight'or spiralgrooving, extending in the direction of the length, so as to admit ofthe passage of the proper amount of air to and from the valves V and V,and the passage 1), leading to the chamber 0, as aforesaid. It isevident that, with the construction of the valve mechanism as heretofore'described, the space provided for the passage of air to and from thechamber O'lnay be reduced to any desirable extent, still preserv- Thevalves V and V are moved by a suitable attachment, as a lever, L, to thearmature N, of an electromagnet, M. In order to balance the valves, orto render their motion independent of the pressure in the conduit P, asfar as desirable, we use for simplicity a regulable spring, q, exertinga pressure in the opposite direction to that exerted by the compressedfluid. When it is desirable to balance the valves under variations inthe fluid-pressure, we employ a flexible surface, K, inclosing anopening in the conduit P, so arranged as to size and position that itshall exert,-as nearly as practicable, a pressure on thelever L equaland opposite to that exerted on the back of the valve V by thecompressed fluid. In order to'avoid frequent regulation of the spring q,under variations of pressure in the fluid-supply, a constant pressure ismaintained in the conduit P by the introduction, between it and thesupply-reservoir, of any form of governor suitable for the purpose.

It is evident that, under the conditions of balancing of the valvesV Valready described, a very slight force, exerted by the magnet M upon thearmature N, will be sufficient for opening the valve V and closingV, soas to permit the compressed fluid, supplied from the conduit P, to exertits pressure on the diaphragm A, by which motion is communicated to thestrikinglever of the electro-signal or telegraphic instrument. v

When an abundant supply of fluid under pressure exists, we dispense withthe use of place either by a small opening, as at G, Fig.

the application of our invention to the move- -action of a spring weemploy additional diaphragms or pistons, the pressure of which isexerted in a direction opposite toor at any angle with that exerted bythe mechanism similarly to the end of the series. arrangement is. shownin-Fig. 3, where the anism V, giving movement to the diaphragm .15. Byso regulating the size of thedia- 1:68.011, any desirable force may-beexerted b :not restrict ourselves to the use of air-pressthe-pressureexerted by any vapor, gas, liquid,

V In like manner where it is desirable to use mosphere, asin the case ofrarefied air or a ,Wacuum,we.employ.'a device similar to that alreadydescribedin connection with Fig. 1.

. mechanism VV serves to regulatethe escape of air into a rarefied airspace or conduit, 10,

. open andV (communicating with the external phragm inthe directionshown by the arrow. When V is closed and V opened the commuthe. valve Vor the valve V, Fig. l, and re- 2, (where the "valve V is remo'ved,)forming'a permanent passage to the diaphragm. If, now, the valve V isopen, the fluid passing through G, instead of exerting its pressure onthe diaphragm, passes directly intothe outer air. When, however, V isclosed by the action of the magnet, and the escape of fluid, prevented,it passes through the opening G,thence through 1), and is utilized forthe movement 0t the diaphragm. The removal of the valve V, andits'replacement in a similar mannerby a permanent opening, (the valve V,Fig.1, being retained,) serves also for the movement of the diaphragm.

In the-foregoing description we have shown ment of levers, &c., in onedirection only, the return stroke being accomplished by the action of aspring.

Whenit is desirable to dispense with the hereinbefore described. I

In theapplication of our invention tocondesired, the valve mechanism ofthethird, Such an motion of the valve mechanism V, controlledbytheelectro-magnet, operates the diaphragm A, which, in its turn,controls the valve mechphragms, and the fluid-pressures supplied to thelast in the series. I

ention we do Inthe application ofour inv ure; but may, .asalreadyindicated, employ or other fluid substance.

a pressure less than .that V exerted. by the-iat- .In .our modifieddevice, Fig.4, the valve in such a manner that, when the valve V is air)closed, the pressure of the atmosphere may be exerted on the surface-ofthe dianication between the external air and the inner surface of thediaphragm being re-established the diaphragm may be brought back to itsformer position by means of a spring ortion to telegraphic instruments,as described. a

We also combine the action of compressed and rarefied air by means ofthe modification obtained by combining Figs. 1 and 4, as shown in Fig.5, wherep is the conduit connected with the supplyot compressed air, and10 that connected with the rarefied air or vacuum. By this arrangementa. motion of therdiaphragrn in-both directions is attainable by themovement of the valve mechanism V.V.

The valve-motion requisite to operate our invention may be obtained, asalready described, from the lever of an ordinary relaymagnet, which, bytheusual contact mechanism, is at the same time acting to open or closea second electrical circuit, thereby serv-' ing the purpose of acombined sounding-instrument and relay or repeater.

In order .to prevent the possi clogging of the valve mechanismhereinbefore described by the infiltration of dust-particles,

we insert in the conduit P a dust-arrester, consisting essentially of aplug of cotton, Z, Fig. 1, or other porous material, suitably incased. a

We do not broadly claim the application of the movement of compressed orrarefied air or gas for signal-transmission between differ- .entstations, as in the various systemsof pneumaticr telegraphy, ourinvention consisting solely of an improved method of intensifying themovements produced bythe passage of weak electrical currents, so as toimpart motion to the striking-lever of an eleetro-signal .or telegraphicapparatus.

In order to show the application of our invention to any'form of signalor telegraphic apparatus, we select the ordinary telegraphicsoundinginstrument, whichis modified by our invention as follows, viz:Local batteries .and relays are dispensed with, and the availableelectrical current is caused to pass through the coils of anelectro-magnet, M, Fig. 6,wh ereby the armature N is set in motion,which ,motion, being communicated by a lever, operates the valvemechanism V, controlling the action of the diaphragm A. The conduit ortube 2 connects with the compressed-air reservoir. The motion ofthe-diaphragm is communicated to the sounding-lever S by means of therod and plate E D, the spring T securing the return of the lever on therelief of pressure from the diaphragm A. The spring q serves to balancethe valves V. In this manner we secure,

by the passage of extremelyfeeble electrical bility of the currentsthrough the magnet-coils, a pure, loud-toned'sound from the instrument.This instrument we call the pneumo-dynamic relay-sounder.

We claim- 1. In a telegraphic sounder, the combination of a movablediaphragm or piston, A, with the sounding-lever S, to produce the strokein one direction, and with a spring, T, to produce the return-stroke ofsaid lever, as described in the foregoing specification.

2. In an electric signal or telegraphic apparatus, as a means ofcontrolling the fluid-supply, the valve mechanism V V, consistingessentially of a longitudinally or spirally grooved stem or rod, bearingand serving as a guide for the valves V and V, to operate in the mannerand for the purpose hereinbefore described.

3. The combination of the valve mechanism V V, consisting of thelongitudinally or spirally grooved rod or stem and the valves V and V,as described, with a movable diaphragm or piston, for the purpose setforth.

4. The combination of the armature-lever L of an electro-magnet with thevalve mechanism V V, constructed as hereinbefore described, for thepurpose set forth in the foregoing specification.

5. As a means of regulating the force required for the movement of thevalve mechanism VV, the adjustable spring q, the clasticity of which isemployed for balancing the fluid-pressure on the valves, as described inthe foregoing specification.

6. As a means of rendering the motion of the valve mechanism V Vindependent of variations in the fluid-pressure, the flexible surface K,closing and opening into the conduit P, arranged in the mannerhereinbefore described, so as to exert a pressure on the valve mechanismV V equal and opposite to that exerted by the fluid-supply.

7. The combination of the diaphragm and valve mechanism VV with theconduits P P, connected, respectively, with two reservoirs containingfluid at different pressures, as shown and described in the foregoingspecification.

8. The combination of two or more movable diaphragms or pistons,provided with a valve mechanism, as described, so as to exert pressuresin the same direction, in opposite directions, or in directions at anyangle with each other.

9. The combination of two or more movable diaphragms or pistons in suchmanner that the movement of the first, controlled by the electro-magnet,as described, may control the valve mechanism of the second, and thesecond of the third, if so desired, and similarly to the end of theseries, in the manner and for the purpose set forth in the foregoingspecification.

10. The combination, with the conduit P, of an air-filter, Z, for thepurpose set forth.

ELIHU THOMSON. EDWIN J. HOUSTON. Witnesses:

GEO. I. Rrcrnt, M. B. SNYDER.

